


Universal Singularity

by H_Faith_Marr



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Dreams and Nightmares, Empath, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gen, How Do I Tag, Keith is a good brother, Multi, My First Fanfic, Mystery, Oriande, Other, POV Multiple, Past Child Abuse, Past Torture, Protective Voltron Paladins, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Team as Family, Unofficial Adoption, White Lion - Freeform, altean myths, but i'm still learning it, cuban games, lance is a sort of weird uncle, protective psuedo-siblings, so sorry if it's not up to scratch, spanish is my second language, spanish lullabies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-08-19 20:31:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16541726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/H_Faith_Marr/pseuds/H_Faith_Marr
Summary: What would the paladins do if they found the quintessential incarnation of the universe?[ON HAITUS]





	1. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fic, like, ever, so feel free to comment any tips you have. I've been playing around with this idea for a while, so I hope you enjoy :) (also I suck at consistent updates, so ya'll have that to look forward to)

She senses it when they board the ship —the red and the blue and the yellow and the green and the black. She feels them like skittering, pulsing things in her stomach: warm, but also strange and foreign. Their excitement is almost palpable, the thrill of danger and adventure pumping through them. She closes her eyes to focus on these feelings, blocking out the presences of her captors.

The five colorful ones have split up, the blue and black and green going one way and the red and yellow turning their steps towards her. Her heart flutters with hope. Will they find her? Free her?

She does her best to wait patiently, perched on the edge of the mat on the floor, but she has been here for many movements under the care of these people called the Galra, and she can feel herself weakening each time they draw from her life-force. She must leave while she still can.

The door to her cell hisses open and suddenly she doubts herself. She sees the two, the shock on their faces, but she does not know that they will be any better than the Galra. She does not know if they will free her of lock her up somewhere strange and unfamiliar. She does not know if they will hurt her or keep her safe.

Her train of thought is broken when the red one speaks.

“Hunk,” his voice cracks and she hears an emotion she cannot quite place. “Tell me that’s not a kid.”

The yellow one, the one called Hunk, steps slowly into the room without answering his companion, freezing as she reflexively recoils. “That looks like a kid to me. Keith, what have they done to her?” His voice catches, like he might cry. “We need to get her out of here, but I don’t want to scare her more.”

The red, Keith, turns to the door, blade raised. “I’ll keep a lookout. You calm her down. I’m…” He hesitates. “I’m not good with kids.”

Hunk crouches a few feet away from her, and she wonders if her heart is going to beat right out of her chest. He keeps his voices low, soothing. “We’re not going to hurt you. We’re here to help.” He pauses. “I’m not sure you understand what I’m saying, but I’m Hunk. The scary guy over there is Keith, but he won’t hurt you. We need to get you out of here, okay?”

He had been inching closer as he spoke, and she realizes he is close enough to touch her. He does not, though, merely holding his arms out and waiting, still making calming sounds.

She looks down at herself, at the grime covering her white hair and pale skin, at the dirty and torn smock the Galra had given her to wear. Then she looks up again at Hunk, at his friendly smile, at his clean and polished armor. She pulls away from him slightly, though not out of fear. 

“I don’t want to get you dirty,” she admits softly.

He blinks in surprise, but his smile does not falter. “I can always clean up later. You’re my number one priority right now.”

She looks up at him shyly through her lashes. “Really?” 

“Really.”

“Hunk.” Keith’s voice is strained, and his eyes dart around… alertly? Nervously? “We really need to go soon.”

She is endangering them by hesitating, she realizes. She cannot do that, not when they have done nothing wrong. Bracing herself, she leans into Hunk and allows him to sweep her up in his enveloping embrace. He turns to Keith. “Let’s go! I’ll tell the others we’re coming.”

With one arm still cradling her to his chest as he runs, he taps the side of his helmet. “Sorry for the wait, guys. Found someone.” He glances down at her, eyes sweeping over the red marks and mottled bruises darkening her skin. “I think we’re gonna need a pod for her.”

She does not understand what is happening anymore. A pod? What is that? And they’re moving so quickly, everything is blurring together… She buries her face in Hunk’s chest, waiting for the world to stop spinning.

She hears voices shouting and explosions and… a roar? She glances up and sees a giant yellow lion, does a double take, and looks up at Hunk to make sure he is still there. Because the lion _feels_ like him, but he is still holding her. So why does the lion have the same presence?

Then suddenly they are inside the lion, and it is really a ship, and she is curled up in Hunk’s lap as he steers away from her prison. Warmth blooms in her chest as she grasps that _she is free,_ but it is all moving so fast and everything is so _loud…_

She closes her eyes, covers an ear with one hand, and clings to Hunk with the other as she shakes like a leaf. It is all _too much too much too much too much too much too much too much too much—_

She shuts down, darkness passing over her like a blanket.


	2. New Faces

She wakes up to a hiss, in a strange tube. She is so _cold_ and she does not know where she is, but when she stumbles forward and falls, Hunk and Keith are there to catch her, supporting her on either side. Blinking, trying to get her bearings, she flinches violently when she catches sight of the other five in the room. She does not _know_ them, or where she is. She is outnumbered, they are going to hurt her, she is so _weak_ and _afraid_ and she cannot _breathe—_

Hunk pulls her into his arms and shushes her, combing his fingers through her cloud of hair. In her peripheral she sees Keith step in front of her, shielding her from the others.

She hiccups and it occurs to her that she is crying, sobbing into Hunk’s shoulder, her arms tight around his neck. Her breath hitches as she tries to calm down, doing her best to focus on his continuous stream of words.

“...not going to hurt you. They’re friends, you’re safe. They’re here to help. No one’s going to hurt you anymore, I promise.”

She sniffles and looks up at him. “Promise?” It is hardly a whisper.

His hand pauses in her hair and he smiled. “Promise.”

She wriggles in his lap until she can see the rest of the room. Keith is next to her now, kneeling, and she grabs his hand on impulse. His eyes widen for a fraction of a second but he quickly interlaces their fingers and gives her hand a comforting squeeze. His larger hand enfolding hers is reassuring, and she musters the courage to turn her gaze to the others.

The other three from the ship are there: the black, and the blue, and the green. The black one is broad-shouldered and taller than the others, with a scar over the bridge of his nose. She subconsciously reaches up to touch her own in sympathy, and his expression softens. The blue one is smiling too, encouraging. The green one, the smallest, has her arms crossed, her expression thoughtful.

She dismisses those three from her mind, deeming them safe, and turns her focus to the other two. They are different, with pointed ears and strange markings. The one with the orange hair looks friendly, almost paternal, and the other… she has the same white hair as her.

She slowly climbs to her feet, clutching Hunk’s arm and Keith’s hand tighter as her knees threaten to buckle under her weight. With their support she shuffles warily over to where the others are waiting. She pulls them to a stop just out of reach, looks up at them cautiously.

Hunk makes the introductions.

“So, you know me and Keith. The small green one is Pidge, the blue guy is Lance, and the guy with the metal arm is our leader, Shiro. They have lions too. The other two are out Altean friends, Coran and Princess Allura. They’re really friendly, and look! Allura has the same hair as you.”

She tugs at a lock of her own hair thoughtfully, glancing up at Allura with a trace of suspicion.

The one with the metal arm —what was his name? Shiro?– gets down on his knees in front of her, voice gentle. “Hey, there. Can you tell us your name?”

It’s been a long while since someone called her by name, but Keith gives her hand another encouraging squeeze, so she tries her best to remember. “Uh… it’s… N-Nova.”

She offers it up haltingly, unsure.

Shiro nods sagely. “That’s a beautiful name. It’s nice to meet you, Nova. Now, can you tell us how old you are?”

“Six Deca-Phoebs, I think?” She furrows her brow. “I’m not… I’m not sure how long I was, uh…” She flushes, trailing off. Abruptly tears fill her eyes. And she is so _tired…_

“That’s okay, Nova. You don’t have to think about that place anymore.” Shiro stands carefully. “Would you like something to eat? Hunk can perform miracles with food goo.”

She nods hesitantly, pressing herself against Hunk’s side without letting go of Keith. She is convinced the others will not hurt her, but these are the only two who feel _safe._

Shiro smiles. “Okay. hunk, Keith, go find her some food.”

“Me?” Keith sounds incredulous.

“She seems to trust you.” He explains simply. “I doubt she’ll be letting go of your hand anytime soon.”

He still seems uncertain, so she pulls him down next to her. She whispers to him, foreheads pressed together. “Stay? Please?”

He seems to melt, and for the first time, he smiles. “Fine. I’ll stay.”

Suddenly he scoops her up and settles her on his shoulders. She shrieks in unexpected delight. He holds her ankles to steady her, his grip firm yet gentle. “Let’s get you fed, yeah?”

She twines her fingers in his soft, black hair and nods, grinning at Hunk. The large boy grins back, then turns to lead the way to the kitchens.


	3. Settling In

As soon as the three of them are out of sight Pidge whips out her datapad, frowning at the healing pod’s data. “Coran, take a look at this.”

The ginger Altean peers over her shoulder, stroking his mustache. “What’s the matter, Number Five?”

“It’s this data.” Pidge gestures at the charts and lines of text. “The pod can’t classify her species.”

“The castle is ten thousand years old.” Allura reminds her. “And our species' archives were not exhaustive by any means, even at Altea’s peak.”

“She looks almost human.” Lance comments, a faraway look in his eyes. “But like, albino.”

“Did you see her eyes?” Shiro’s head is still turned towards the door Nova disappeared through. “No pupil, no iris, no sclera. They looked like galaxies. Like windows to the cosmos.”

The Alteans turns to him sharply. Allura glances down at the datapad in Coran’s hands with new interest, and maybe a touch of awe. “Are you sure about this, Shiro?”

“I’m sure, Princess.”

The Alteans share a guarded look. Allura reaches over Coran’s shoulder and flicks off the datapad. “We’ll have to look into this a bit more. In the meantime, why don’t you paladins go find our new guest and try to make her feel more at home?”

Lance’s face lights up. “I can show her how to play _Veo, Veo._ And I know some rhyme games that I used to play with _mis hermanitos.”_

Shiro leads the way. “They should still be in the kitchens.”

Pidge is the last to leave, regarding the Alteans dubiously. “You’ll tell us what all this is about later, right?”

“Of course, of course.” Coran assures her. “Run along now. The other paladins are waiting.”

The green paladin gives them a long, level look before following after the others. She’ll figure out what they are hiding later. Right now, Nova is in the forefront of her mind.

Pidge finds the doll-like girl in the kitchen, as Shiro suspected, with the other four paladins. She is sitting in Keith’s lap while Hunk putters about preparing food. Lance sits across from Keith, slowly speaking in Spanish while Nova listens intently, then repeats after him. She is learning very quickly, and Lance praises her with every new word she learns. 

Shiro stands by the door, leaning against the wall with crossed arms and a small smile on his face. Pidge nudges his arm and whispers, so as not to interrupt the fun. “What is Lance doing?”

“Teaching her a game, I think.” Shiro replies, voice equally low. “It’s a bit like I Spy, as far as I can tell.”

“Okay, Nova, you’re getting it!” Lance claps his hands, grinning. “Now, want to try and actually play?”

 _“Sí, sí!”_ She squeals. “You first!”

“Okay. _Veo, veo.”_

 _“¿Qué ves?”_ She asks quickly, as if from a script.

The Cuban boy smiles in approval, and replies. _“Una cosita.”_

_“¿Qué cosita es?”_

Lance pauses thoughtfully and looks around, eyes landing on the plate of food goo in Hunk’s hands. _“Una cosita verde.”_

Nova frowns and follows Lance’s gaze. She points. _“¿Ese?”_

 _“¡Muy bien!”_ Lance pats her knee affectionately. “You are a very fast learner, _bella.”_

She matches his grin, relaxing into Keith’s chest. The red paladin absently strokes her hair, seemingly lost in thought. He starts when Hunk slides a plate over and it bumps his arm. “Oh, Nova, here’s your food.”

The girl immediately falls on the food like she hasn’t eaten in weeks —which, Pidge concludes, is plausible considering where they found her.

The food disappears in record time, and Nova snuggles back into Keith as soon as she is finished. She sighs contentedly, her fingers clutching the edges of his jacket as her eyes flutter closed. Before anyone realizes it, she is asleep.

Shiro chuckles. “She must really trust you, Keith, if she can just fall asleep on you like that.”

Keith flushes, mumbling. “Yeah, I guess.” But Pidge can tell the thought pleases him.

Hunk voices a question that seems to have been bothering him for a while. “Where’s she going to sleep?”

“She can sleep with me.” Pidge offers. “I am the only girl, after all. And I don’t think she’ll want to sleep alone, after… you know.”

“Fair point.” Lance concedes. He regards the girl in Keith’s lap, half-wrapped around the red paladin. “But she looks so peaceful like this.”

There is an uncharacteristically soft expression of Keith’s face. “Yeah. She does.”

“Why don’t you take her to the lounge area for now, Keith?” Shiro suggests quietly. “We don’t want her to panic if she wakes up with someone different in a place she doesn’t know. We can ask her if she wants to bunk with Pidge later.”

Keith smiles. “Alright.”

Pidge watches as he gathers the girl into his arms and moves to the door. She has never seen such a tender look in the dark-haired teen’s eyes before, and wonders what new side of him Nova has opened up that the paladins have never seen before.


	4. Empath

When she wakes up she is confused by her surroundings at first. Everything is too bright to be her cell, and she is warmer than she can remember being for several quintants. The surface below her rises and falls with a regular rhythm. She’s draped over something —no, some _one._

She blinks once. Twice. Then the memories come flooding back.

She does not realize she is shaking until Keith —from underneath her, he is the one she is lying on– wraps his arms around her, holding her tightly. She presses her face into his shoulder, struggling to even out her breathing. Someone else starts rubbing her back in small circles, murmuring soothingly. Slowly she calms, pushing the memories _—the straps, the needles, the cold, the masks, the pain, the pain, the pain–_ from her mind.

She peers through her hair to see Hunk lounging with Keith’s legs on his lap, one big hand on the small of her back. Curious, glancing up, she sees that Keith’s eyes are still closed, and his breathing has not changed. It occurs to her that he is still asleep.

Careful not to wake him, she casts her gaze around the room. Lance is deep in discussion with Shiro, gesturing broadly. She cannot tell what they are talking about. Pidge sits on the floor, back to a couch across from the one Keith and Hunk are dominating. She taps continuously on the keyboard of the computer on her lap. The Alteans are nowhere to be seen.

Surprisingly, she feels safe here. Content, even. She does not know these people, only their names. She does not know where she is, or where they are going in this strange ship, or what plans they have for her. But she feels safe in Keith’s arms, in Hunk’s presence. 

It is strange. She cannot recall ever feeling like this, not in her entire life.

She wonders how long she has been sleeping. 

Keith stirs underneath her, almost dumping her on the floor. She snatches at his shirt to keep her balance, making a small noise of distress. His eyes snap open at the sound, unfocused for a moment. She sees the exact moment he recognizes her, and, remarkably, feels relief at the unabashed affection there. It transforms his features from cautious and closed to admiring and gentle. 

She does not know him. He does not know her. Already, she knows, they are connected.

She assesses the others, perceives that the same is true for all of them. Pidge has looked up from her computer, Lance and Shiro have broken off their conversation. Their expressions vary, but she picks up a single commonality.

They all are smiling, at least slightly, and some are grinning from ear to ear.

Lance strolls over casually and crouches next to the couch, eye to eye. “How was your sleep, _bella?_ Feel better?”

Yawning and stretching, she nods, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Lance huffs a laugh. “Looks like it. Now, Pidge has a question for you.”

Curious, she tilts her head to one side, brushing her hair out of her eyes so she can actually see the green paladin.

Pidge pushes her glasses up, then clasps her hands in front of her. “Well, we were discussing your predicament, and trying to figure out where you’re going to stay.” She tenses, and Pidge hurries to reassure her. “We’re not going to make you leave. I meant where you’ll stay in the castle. Here, with us.”

She swings her legs over so she is sitting on Keith’s stomach. “Oh?”

Pidge closes the lid of her laptop, giving her full attention. “Would you like to stay in my room with me?”

Her mind blanks, and it takes her a moment to remember how to speak. “I… sure.” She frowns. “You don’t mind?”

“No, of course not! I wouldn’t have offered if I did. It’s just...” She shrugs, obviously feeling as awkward as her in this instance. “We didn’t think you’d want to sleep alone.”

“Well… okay then.” She fiddles with the ends of her hair. “I’d like that.”

“Do you want me to show you were it is?”

Glancing first at Keith and at Hunk warily, she hesitantly hops off of the red paladin, stumbling slightly when her feet hit the floor. “Okay…”

Pidge holds out her hand with a smile. “Come on, then.”

Tentatively matching the smile with a smaller one, she accepts the hand. She follows her through twisting halls until she is thoroughly lost. She pouts up at the green paladin. “How far is it?”

The older girl chuckles. “Not far.”

A moment later she stops in front of a door. “Here we are. There’s no code, so you just enter like so…” The door hissed open and she stepped inside, glancing back. “And go on in.”

She trails after her, equal parts curious and anxious, the emotions vibrant and crisp. This causes her to pause and examine those feelings. They seem to come from Pidge as much as from her…

She tilts her head to one side, regarding the green paladin from the doorway. “Why are you nervous?”

Pidge pauses where she is, rummaging through a bin of blankets in the closet. “What do you mean?”

“You’re nervous.” She pulls herself up onto the bed and kicks her feet lazily. “And curious. Why?”

The other girl pushes her glasses up on her nose and squints at her. “How do you know that?”

She purses her lips in thought. “In the ship, the other ship, there were these people in dark, flowy clothes. They called me an… emath? Entath?”

“Empath?”

“Yeah, empath! What’s an empath?”

Pidge crouches next to her and offers a blanket. “As far as I know, and empath is a person who is exceptionally sensitive to other people’s emotional states.” Her eyes seem to unfocus as her thoughts run away with her. “Though the significance of empaths in space would be of considerable interest to many scientific communities, since emotional thought processes have always thought to be only observed through a person’s behavior. But if there were a seemingly telepathic variable in an empath’s power of observation…? How does that work? Is there some sort of organ that picks up on the brainwaves of nearby organisms, or is there some sort of pheromone sensory organ...?”

She blinks at the seemingly endless stream of words pouring from the other’s mouth. “I don’t know? That’s what they asked.”

As fast as she had been talking a moment before, Pidge is now just as still. “It is?”

“Yes…” She trailed off, concerned at the terror coming off of the girl in waves. “What’s wrong?”

The paladin is quiet for a moment, then holds all of the blankets out to her. “Here, make a little nest on the bed or something. Make it comfortable. This,” she pulls a small device from under the bed and hands it to her. “Is a map. I need to go talk to Coran and Allura, okay?” She pats her on the head as she stands. “I’ll send Hunk or someone over if I see them. I’ll be back soon, alright?”

Before she could respond, she was alone.


End file.
